This invention relates generally to a physical shock absorbing sheath or cover for protecting a fragile tip and/or shaft of a medical or veterinary probe while in storage, especially an ultrasonic probe which employs a delicate piezoelectric quartz crystal tip.
Medical probes, such as endovaginal and rectal probes of the ultrasonic type, contain a delicate crystal tip which can easily be fractured or otherwise damaged and rendered useless, as when dropped on a hard surface or as knocked about while hanging from a wall hanger in storage ready for use in a hospital lab. Occasionally these probes are accidentally knocked loose from their wall hanger, whereupon they fall onto the surface of an underlying table, work bench or floor. In any case, damage to the crystal tip of such a probe can not be repaired, by reason of which the entire probe must be discarded and replaced. Such probes are quite expensive and, in a busy hospital where many such probes are used, the loss of such probes due to accidental impact damage is often a major expense, particularly when accumulated over the course of an entire accounting year.
Broadly speaking, special purpose covers for various types of medical instruments have been known and used in the prior art. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,349,031 issued to A. R. Perlin on Sept. 14, 1982; U.S. Pat. No. 4,911,559 issued to R. P. Meyst et al. On Mar. 27, 1990; U.S. Pat. No. 5,088,834 issued to R. R. Howe et al. On Feb. 18, 1992; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,188,459 issued to K. Mino on Feb. 23, 1993. The Perlin device is a disposable esophageal probe cover which covers a probe while inserted into a patient's mouth, which cover is removed after the probe is withdrawn and replaced with a clean cover prior to use of the probe on the next patient. The Meyst et al. cover includes three laminated layers for covering a thermometer while in use and is adapted so as to interfere only minimally with temperature detection of the thermometer sensor. The Howe et al. device is a sheath of infrared transparent material for use with an infrared type thermometer for the purpose of providing a sanitary barrier between the instrument and the patient on which it is used. The Mino et al. device is also a disposable protective shield, in this case for a radiation type thermometer for use in measuring the temperature of a glossy metal surface. The reference shield is said to protect the glossy surface from damage which might otherwise occur due to direct contact with the unshielded thermometer.
None of these prior art devices are seen as offering protection of the instrument or of a fragile portion thereof from impact damage while being held in a stored condition prior to use.
By means of my invention, this and other problems encountered with the handling, transporting and storage of medical and veterinary probes, especially those of a delicate nature having a fragile tip or other portion, are substantially overcome.